Resumo: No sistema trófico baseado em detritos, os colêmbolos, besouros escarabeíneos, moscas saprófagas e térmitas atuam no consumo e fragmentação da matéria orgânica e no controle das populações de microrganismos decompositores, exercendo forte influência nos fluxos de energia e nutrientes. Um inventário faunístico desses quatro grupos de hexápodes foi realizado na Serra de Santa Catarina (SSC), uma área de Caatinga arbóreo-arbustiva localizada no Estado da Paraiba, com intuito de caracterizar as taxocenoses desses táxons, salientando as suas peculiaridades ligadas ao ecossistema local. As coletas foram realizadas em maio/2014 e abril/2015, durante o período chuvoso na região. De acordo com o táxon, foram utilizados protocolos amostrais padronizados para inventários de biodiversidade, com métodos passivos e ativos de coleta. No geral, 114 espécies de hexápodes foram capturadas, sendo 26 de colêmbolos, 20 de besouros escarabeíneos, 30 de dípteros e 38 de térmitas, com suficiência amostral variando de 69,5 a 96.8% da total estimada. A riqueza de espécies por grupo está entre as maiores para uma única área de Caatinga, com alguns táxons sendo registrados pela primeira vez para o domínio. Especialmente para os colêmbolos e térmitas, várias morfoespécies tiveram seus status taxonômicos indeterminados, havendo elevada possibilidade de serem nova para a ciência. As estruturas e funcionalidades das taxocenoses de colêmbolos, besouros escarabeíneos, moscas saprófagas e térmitas registradas na SSC, sugerem que esse ecossistema é singular, dentro de um cenário generalizado de impacto antrópico presente na Caatinga, e possui um elevado potencial para a conservação da biodiversidade desse domínio no nordeste brasileiro.

Abstract: In detritus-based trophic systems, springtails, dung beetles, saprophagous calyptrate flies and termites consume and fragment organic matter and control populations of decomposer microorganisms, exerting a strong influence on energy and nutrient fluxes. A faunal inventory of these four groups of hexapods was performed in Serra de Santa Catarina (SSC), an area of arboreal-shrub caatinga located in the state of Paraíba, with the purpose of characterizing the assemblages of these taxa, and highlighting their unique links to the local ecosystem. Samplings were performed in May, 2014, and April, 2015, both during the rainy season. Standard sampling protocols for biodiversity inventory of the various taxa were used, including both active and passive sampling methods. In general, 114 species of hexapods were captured, with 26 species of springtails, 20 dung beetles, 30 saprophagous calyptrate flies and 38 termites, with sampling sufficiency varying from 69.5 to 96.8% of total estimated richness. Species richness of the groups are among the highest recorded for a single area of Caatinga, with some taxa being recorded for the first time for the domain. Several morphospecies had indeterminate taxonomic status, especially springtails and termites, and are quite likely new species to science. The structure of the assemblages of springtails, dung beetles, saprophagous calyptrate flies and termites recorded in SSC, suggest that this conserved area is unique within the highly impacted landscape of Caatinga, and has great potential for the conservation of biodiversity of this domain in the Northeast Region of Brazil.

Os insetos da família Scarabaeidae se alimentam da matéria orgânica em decomposição, participando ativamente da ciclagem de nutrientes. C. ensifer é um necrófago de grande porte que ocorre em áreas de florestas tropicais. Este estudo teve por objetivo conhecer o padrão sazonal da espécie neste ambiente e avaliar a atratividade das iscas utilizadas. Foram realizadas 13 coletas entre os meses de Dezembro/98 e Dezembro/99 na Mata do Buraquinho, um remanescente de Mata Atlântica em João Pessoa, PB. Foram coletados 71 espécimes usando armadilhas com quatro tipos de isca: 35 em carne de porco, 22 em rim bovino e 14 indivíduos em carne bovina, não havendo diferenças significativas entre as iscas em relação a sua atratividade para com os insetos. Não foi coletado nenhum espécime em fígado bovino. A abundância mensal esteve diretamente correlacionada com a precipitação (r s=0,65; p<0,05) e com a umidade (r s=0,55; p<0,05) e inversamente com a temperatura (r s=-0,70; p<0,01). Os espécimes somente foram coletados entre os meses de Abril a Setembro, coincidindo com o período chuvoso na região, o que corrobora o padrão sazonal da espécie.

Insects of the family Scarabaeidae feed on organic matter in decomposition, participating actively in biogeocycling of nutrients. C. ensifer is a large-sized necrophagous beette that occurs in tropical forests. In the present work we aimed to record some ecological characteristics of this species regarding the seasonality and bait attractivity. Thirteen samples were performed between December/1998 and December/1999 in the Mata do Buraquinho, a remnant of the Atlantic Forest in João Pessoa, PB. Seventy-one specimens were captured in four baited pitfall traps: 35 on pork meat, 22 on kidney, and 14 on bovine meat. There was no significant difference among the baits with respect to their stimuli for attracting the insects. No specimens of C. ensifer were trapped on baits of liver. The monthly abundance of insects is positively correlated the precipitation (r s=0,65; p<0,05) and humidity (r s=0,55; p<0,05) and inversely with temperature (r s=-0,70; p<0,01). The specimens were collected only from April to September, within the rainy period, an aspect that corroborates the seasonal pattern of occurrence.

The Parsimony Analysis of Endemicity (PAE) consists in an important tool of the historical biogeography which has the purpose of detecting distribution patterns of organisms and the relationships among areas of endemism. Insect distribution data included in Membracidae-Hoplophorionini occurring in the American Continent were used in the present research in order to establish the relationships among eight predetermined areas of endemism which are: 1) Mexico, 2) Greater Antilles, 3) Central America, 4) North Andes, 5) Central Andes, 6) South Andes, 7) Amazon, e 8) South East Brazil. The data matrix was based on the presence (coded as 1) and abscence (0) of taxa in the areas. The analysis was performed with the use of computer program Hennig86 (Farris 1988) applying the comands ie (implicit enumeration), and xs w (successive weighting). Resulted in the cladogram (A2,((A6,(A1 ,(A3,(A4,A5)))),(A7,A8))) with 236 steps, consistency index = 0.94 and retention index = 0.86. Areas 7 and 8 follow a subtropical and tropical vegetation pattern made up respectively by pluvial forests and groves. The remaining areas (except 2) agree with mountainous vegetation of the Andes pattern and groves throughout the extention.

Tynelia Stål, 1858 is revised and its limits redefined; two species are included: T. longula Burmeister, 1835 (= Boethoos nitida Funkhouser, 1922, Syn.n.)and T. godoyae sp.n. (from Brazil, Pará). Neotynelia gen.n. (type species: Darnis pubescens Fabricius, 1803) is described and the following species are treated, as well as some nomenclatural changes introduced: Neotynelia pubescens (Fabricius, 1803) comb.n. (= Tragopa prominens Walker, 1858 Syn.n.;= Boethoos hirsuta Funkhouser, 1922 Syn.n.; = Boethoos cinctata Haviland, 1925, Syn.n.); Neotynelia vertebralis (Fairmaire, 1846) sp. reval., comb.n. (= Tragopa bilinea Walker, 1858 Syn.n.; = Boethoos brunnea Funkhouser, 1922 Syn.n.); Neotynelia distinguenda (Fowler, 1895), sp. reval., comb.n.; Neotynelia nigra (Funkhouser, 1940) comb.n. (= Tynelia flavodorsata Fonseca, 1941 Syn.n.); Neotynelia bandeirai sp.n., Neotynelia martinsi sp.n., and Neotynelia rafaeli sp.n. (all three new species from Brazil, Mato Grosso).

The genus Harmonides Kirkaldy, 1902 is revised. The following species are treated: Harmonides dispar (Fabricius, 1803) (= Boethoos glohosa Haviland, 1925, syn.n.; = Vanduzea [sic] decorata Funkhouser, 1940, syn.n.); Harmonides reticulata (Fabricius, 1803) (= Vanduzea [sic] testudinea Haviland, 1925, syn.n.); Harmonides panamensis, sp.n. (Panama); Harmonides elongata, sp.n. (Brazil, Mato Grosso).

Funkhouseriana gen.n. is described (type species Tynelia cerulea Funkhouser, 1935). Funkhouseriana cerulea, comb.n. is redescribed and illustrated.

Phylogeny for 23 Membracinae genera based on cladistic methodology is proposed. Five Hypsoprorini, two Aconophorini and sixteen Membracini genera were studicd. The Hoplophorionini genera were also analysed.

Ennya scaramozzinoi, sp.n. from Ecuador, Calloconophora dietrichi, sp.n. and Amastris deitzi. sp.n., both from Mato Grosso, Brazil, are described.

An alternative proposition for the analysis of the diagnostic states of the pronotum in the Centrotinae and Membracinae (sensu Strümpel) is presented. In this analysis, a linear transformation series is proposed for this character, departing from the state found in Tolania Stal, 1858 changing to an intermediate state in Centrotinae, which is still treated as plesiomorphic when compared with the one found in Membracinae. The transformation series thus defined, clarifies the problems related to the monophyly of the Membracidae, which is herein supported by the state of pronotum previously used to define the Centrotinae. This later taxon is treated as paraphyletic. The monophyly of the Membracinae is unquestioned, but its sister group is still unknown. Finally, this analysis permitted the reinterpretation of several characters, previously treated as homoplasies, now as synapomorphies.

Heteronotus mourei, sp.n. is described from Conde, Paraíba, Brazil.

In this paper is presented, in detail, the morphology of Kronides incumbens (Germar, 1835) (Homoptera, Membracidae).