Abstract This study inventoried and characterized the richness of galling insects based on gall morphotypes and their host plants in two Cerrado sensu stricto areas of Caetité municipality in Bahia State, Brazil, to aid the identification of galling insects and their host plants, as well as to contribute to the knowledge and conservation of local biodiversity. The survey was conducted in the Moita dos Porcos archaeological site and João Barroca Farm site, adopting the random walking methodology for sampling, during 12 months. We recorded 98 gall morphotypes on 42 plant species belonging to 36 genera and 22 families. Leguminosae, Malpighiaceae and Myrtaceae demonstrated the greatest richness of galls, and the Copaifera langsdorffii was the super-host species, with 16 gall morphotypes. Most galls occur on leaves, and may be globoid, glabrous, grouped, and are usually unilocular, and brown. The galling insects identified belonged to Coleoptera, Diptera, Lepidoptera, and Thysanoptera. Eight plant host species and eight gall morphotypes were recorded for the first time in Cerrado areas in Brazil. The areas surveyed demonstrated high richness of gall morphotypes and host plants, evidencing the importance of studying and preserving different areas of the same biome.

Abstract We surveyed insect galls in an area of Cerrado sensu stricto and Gallery forest in the municipality of Caetité (BA) to contribute to current knowledge of the local flora and its associated gall-inducing insects. Monthly collections were made between February/2015 and January/2016, totaling 12 field campaigns (involving two or three people and lasting four hours) that followed an established path through the countryside. A total of 63 gall morphotypes were identified on 47 host plant species belonging to 22 families; 17 morphotypes were found in the Gallery forest and 46 in Cerrado vegetation. The plant families showing the greatest gall richness were Leguminosae (n=15), Myrtaceae (n=9), and Asteraceae (n=7). The species with the greatest number of galls was Mimosa gemmulata Barneby (Leguminosae) (n=3). Most galls were observed on leaves (66%) and stems (24%); they were mostly green (49.3%) or brown (26%), with globoid shapes (39.7%) or marginal roll (17.4%), and were unilocular (87%), glabrous (62%) and isolated (89%). Cecidomyiidae (Diptera) were the principal gall-inducing insects. The associated fauna was principally composed of Hymenoptera. Eight plant taxa were recorded for the first time as hosts of galling fauna.

RESUMO O conhecimento sobre galhas de insetos da Caatinga ainda é fragmentado, com grande parte do esforço científico concentrado em alguns poucos pontos nos estados de Pernambuco e Bahia. Este estudo teve como objetivo verificar a ocorrência de galhas entomógenas e realizar sua caracterização morfológica em áreas de Caatinga de Ibiassucê, Estado da Bahia, com diferentes intensidades de ação antrópica. Foram selecionadas três áreas com base nos seus diferentes graus de antropização. Em cada área amostrada foram estabelecidas quatro parcelas aleatórias de 10 m2 cada, com 10 m de distância entre si, perfazendo um total de 12 parcelas nos ambientes. Foram registrados 20 morfotipos de galhas distribuídos em nove espécies vegetais pertencentes a oito famílias. A maior riqueza de galhas foi encontrada nas áreas intermediárias (n=8), seguida das áreas antropizadas (n=7) e preservadas (n=5). Galhas globoides, marrons, com apenas uma câmara, glabras e disseminadas separadamente foram as mais frequentes. Lepidoptera, Coleoptera e Diptera (Cecidomyiidae) foram as ordens galhadoras. Os resultados aqui apresentados demonstram a importância desse tipo estudo e evidenciam a necessidade da realização de inventários de galhas em áreas pouco ou não amostradas da Caatinga.

ABSTRACT The current knowledge of insect galls in Caatinga vegetation is still only fragmentary, with most scientific efforts concentrated in only a few areas in the states of Pernambuco and Bahia. In the present study, we characterized morphologically insect galls in areas of Caatinga vegetation showing different degrees of anthropogenic impact in Ibiassucê, state of Bahia. Three sites were selected based on their levels of human disturbance, and four random plots (10 m2 each), separated from each other by 10 m, were then established in each area, for a total of 12 plots. Twenty gall morphotypes were found on nine plant species belonging to eight families. The greatest gall diversity was found in sites showing intermediate levels of anthropogenic impacts (n=8), followed by heavily impacted areas (n=7), and preserved areas (n=5). Globoid galls, brown, with only a single chamber, glabrous, and separately disseminated were the most frequent. Lepidoptera, Coleoptera and Diptera (Cecidomyiidae) were the gall-forming insect orders. The results presented here show the importance of this kind of research and the need of inventories of galls in neglected Caatinga areas.

ABSTRACT Surveys in the coastal sandy plains (restingas) of Rio de Janeiro have shown a great richness of galls. We investigated the galling insects in two preserved restingas areas of Rio de Janeiro state: Parque Estadual da Costa do Sol and Reserva Particular do Patrimônio Natural Fazenda Caruara. The collections were done each two months, from June 2011 to May 2012. We investigated 38 points during 45 minutes each per collection. The galls were taken to the laboratory for rearing the insects. A total number of 151 insect galls were found in 82 plant species distributed into 34 botanic families. Most of the galls occurred on leaves and the plant families with the highest richness of galls were Myrtaceae and Fabaceae. All the six insect orders with galling species were found in this survey, where Cecidomyiidae (Diptera) was the main galler group. Hymenoptera and Thysanoptera were found as parasitoids and inquilines in 29 galls. The richness of galls in the surveyed areas reveals the importance of restinga for the composition and diversity of gall-inducing insect fauna.