Faunistic analysis of Cerambycidae (Insecta: Coleoptera) in an area of Atlantic Forest

ABSTRACT

The Atlantic Forest is considered a hotspot biome, one of the most diverse in the world. Currently, due to deforestation, only 22% of the original cover remains, and only 7.5% well preserved. Despite the global importance of this biome, it still lacks basic studies, e.g. primary inventories. Cerambycidae is one of the most diverse groups of beetles, with high ecological and economic importance. The aim of this work was to survey the longhorn beetles (Cerambycidae) in three fragments (Pacangê, Vila 5 and Pancada Grande) of Atlantic Forest within Reserva Ecológica da Michelin (southern Bahia State, Brazil). A total of 166 individuals belonging to 53 species were recorded, 15 of them new geographical records for the state, and one for Brazil. The Shannon index (H) shows Pacangê (H = 2.665) as the most diverse fragment, followed by Pancada Grande (H = 2.658) and Vila 5 (H = 2.565). The most abundant species were Nyssodrysina lignaria (38 specimens collected), followed by Compsibidion vanum (31 specimens). One hundred and ten specimens were captured in Malaise traps, while in light traps only 56 specimens were caught; however, the richness and consequently the diversity in light traps was higher. This is one of the few studies carried out in Atlantic Forest surveying longhorn beetles, and provides primary data on these taxa, to help develop conservation policies for this threatened biome.

KEYWORDS:

• Diversity
• rain forest
• new records
• timber beetles
• conservation

Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the Plantações Michelin da Bahia. The authors thank Kevin Flasher for assistance in the area; Eliomar da Cruz Menezes, Emerson Mota, Thalles P.L. Pereira and Danilo P. Cordeiro for fieldwork assistance. The first author is grateful to Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) and Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (FAPERJ, nº 221328) for the fellowships awarded. The second author is grateful to Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (FAPERJ) for a postdoctoral fellowship (process number E-26/202.762/2016). We also thank Tammy Arai for the revision of the text. We also thank Sônia Casari (MZSP) for the logistical support and Antonio Santos-Silva for help in identifying the specimens.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq); Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Rio de Janeiro [221328]; Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (FAPERJ) [E-26/202.762/2016].