Molecular characterization and phylogenetic assessment of agricultural-related noctuids (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) of South America

ABSTRACT Accurate identification of species is fundamental to every biological research. While morphological identification is a time-consuming and skilled technique, straightforward molecular techniques require the availability of a database of previously sequenced and identified specimens. For most countries of South America, species of noctuids with available sequences are scarce, mostly restricted to species of economic importance, making molecular identification untenable. Here we sequenced the mitochondrial DNA 'barcode' region of the cytochrome c oxidase subunit I gene of 34 specimens pertaining to 26 species of South American noctuids, 20 of these for the first time. For all species, genetic distances were higher for interspecific than for intraspecific relations, supporting the utility of DNA 'barcodes' to identify species. Larger intraspecific divergences occurred in species of Agrotis and Anicla, and interspecific divergences lower than 2% occurred in about one fifth of the species, all in species of Agrotis, Feltia, and Anicla. These results will allow identifying these species using DNA 'barcodes', either for pest management or general biological studies. Furthermore, we carried out phylogenetic analyses with those sequences and 158 other sequences of 85 species of noctuids mined from GenBank. These analyses, in every case, grouped species of the same genus suggesting that the DNA 'barcodes' region alone can be useful for lower level phylogeny in this group, recovering as monophyletic groups such as Copitarsia, Agrotis and Austrandesiita. Conversely, groups such as Mythimna (Mythimna) and the subgenera of Feltia were not recovered as monophyletic, suggesting the need for further taxonomic studies in these groups.

Taxonomic review of Gallio Evans, 1955 (Lepidoptera, Hesperiidae, Hesperiinae): one less monotypic genus of Moncini

ABSTRACT Moncini is the tribe of Hesperiidae that comprises the greatest diversity of small, brown, hard to identify skippers. The group is peculiarly classified as having many monotypic genera, thus offering low informative value to its systematics. This study presents a review of the genus Gallio Evans, 1955, a genus formerly recognized as monotypic, and describes three new species, Gallio imperatriz sp. nov. from Maranhão, Brazil, Gallio furtadoi sp. nov. from Mato Grosso, Brazil and Gallio eti sp. nov. from Madre de Díos, Peru and Acre, Brazil (type locality). A lectotype for Vehilius carasta Schaus, 1902 is designated. Gallio is therefore redescribed and illustrations and diagnosis to its species are provided.

Borboletas (Papilionoidea e Hesperioidea) de Guarapuava e arredores, Paraná, Brasil: um inventário com base em 63 anos de registros / Butterflies (Papilionoidea and Hesperioidea) from Guarapuava and vicinity, Paraná, Brazil: an inventory based on records of 63 years

Apesar de estar entre os países com maior diversidade de borboletas, o Brasil possui pouca informação disponível que retrate essa biodiversidade. O Paraná é um dos estados brasileiros com a fauna de Lepidoptera menos conhecida. Apenas Curitiba e arredores possui uma lista de espécies robusta, enquanto as demais regiões paranaenses são desprovidas desse tipo de informação. Com o objetivo de aumentar o conhecimento sobre a fauna de borboletas do Paraná, o presente estudo fornece informações de 63 anos de coletas (1944 a 2002 e 2005 a 2010) em Guarapuava e arredores, região centro-sul paranaense, e indica as espécies características da fitofisionomia Campo Natural, hoje quase extinto nessa região. No total, 689 espécies foram coletadas, dessas 264 espécies estão representadas em apenas um dos períodos amostrais. Cerca de 6 por cento da lista corresponde a espécies de Campo Natural e menos da metade foi encontrada recentemente. As famílias mais similares entre dados pretéritos e atuais foram Pieridae, Nymphalidae e Papilionidae, enquanto Riodinidae, Hesperiidae e Lycaenidae as mais dissimilares. Sugerimos a criação de unidades de conservação permanente que inclua a vegetação Campo Natural, visto que esta apresenta uma fauna peculiar e encontra-se ameaçada localmente, além de não ser protegida por unidades de conservação já estabelecidas na região.

Despite figuring among the countries with high diversity of butterflies, Brazil has little information available of its biodiversity. Paraná is one of brazilian states with the less known lepidopteran fauna. Only Curitiba and vicinity have a list of butterflies species published, while all other Paraná regions lack such information. Aiming to provide new informations about the butterflies fauna in Paraná state, this study compiles information of 63 years of collect (1944 to 2002 and from 2005 to 2010) in Guarapuava and vicinity, south-central Paraná, and emphasizes the typical grassland species, now nearly extinct in this region. Were recorded 689 species, 264 of these were recorded only in one of the sampling periods. About 6 percent are typical grassland species and fewer than half of those were recorded recently. Pieridae, Nymphalidae and Papilionidae latest records are more similar to earlier records than Riodinidae, Hesperiidae, and Lycaenidae. We suggest the creation of permanent conservation areas comprising grasslands, as they encompass a unique fauna and are threatened locally; furthermore, they are not protected by any conservation areas already established in the region.

Registros inéditos de borboletas (Papilionoidea e Hesperioidea) ameaçadas de extinção para o Estado do Paraná, Brasil: novos subsídios para reavaliação dos critérios de ameaça / Unpublished records of threatened butterflies (Papilionoidea and Hesperioidea) to Paraná State, Brazil: new contributions for the evaluation of threat criteria

Many countries regard the red lists of threatened species as useful tools for promoting the biological conservation. However, little effort has been made to gather base-line information on the presence and distribution of such species, or their conservation. Therefore, the present work provides new records of some threatened butterflies species distributed through Paraná, one of which is already included in the Brazilian red list, and thus complementing the knowledge of geographical distribution and conservation. In total, 15 new records belonging to 8 species are given, confirming past records, or representing new distribution records. The species addressed in our study are: Passova passova practa Evans, 1951 (CR), Zonia zonia diabo Mielke & Casagrande, 1998 (VU - Brazil), Alesa prema (Godart, [1824]) (VU), Symmachia arion (C. Felder & R. Felder, 1865) (VU), Cyanophrys bertha (Jones, 1912) (EN), Euryades corethrus (Boisduval, 1836) (EN), Charonias theano (Boisduval, 1836) (EN), and Pampasatyrus glaucope glaucope (C. Felder & R. Felder, 1865) (VU). Except for Charonias theano and Pampasatyrus glaucope glaucope, all species were recorded on the past three years (2007-2009). Approximately one-half of the records included here correspond to small conservation units located at the northwest and northeast regions of Paraná, while records from central-south region correspond to non-protected areas, specially the endemic grasslands species. From these new data, we suggest the following modifications to threat status: remove P. p. practa, C. bertha and S. arion from the red list. Z. z. diabo should be considered critically endangered (CR), while the status of E. corethrus should be revised to critically endangered (CR). We make no recommendations for change in status for A. prema, P. g. glaucope and C. theano.

Hoje a presença de listas vermelhas de espécies ameaçadas de extinção é comum em muitos países que as julgam necessárias para promover a conservação da natureza. No entanto, poucos esforços vêm sendo realizados com objetivo de resgatar as informações básicas acerca da presença e distribuição dessas espécies, sobretudo sua conservação. Portanto, o presente trabalho fornece novos registros de borboletas consideradas ameaçadas de extinção com distribuição no Paraná, incluindo uma da lista vermelha brasileira e complementando assim o conhecimento de suas distribuições geográficas e estudos de conservação. Ao total, somam-se 15 registros inéditos correspondentes a oito espécies, confirmando a presença onde já havia registros ou adicionando novos registros de distribuição. As espécies abordadas em nosso estudo são: Passova passova practa Evans, 1951 (CR), Zonia zonia diabo Mielke & Casagrande, 1998 (VU - Brasil), Euryades corethrus (Boisduval, 1836) (EN), Cyanophrys bertha (Jones, 1912) (EN), Alesa prema (Godart, [1824]) (VU), Symmachia arion (C. Felder & R. Felder, 1865) (VU), Pampasatyrus glaucope glaucope (C. Felder & R. Felder, 1865) (VU) e Charonias theano (Boisduval, 1836) (EN). Exceto P. g. glaucope e C. theano, todas foram registradas nos últimos três anos. Metade dos registros corresponde a pequenas unidades de conservação do noroeste e nordeste paranaense, enquanto os fornecidos para região centro-sul não estão protegidos, especialmente as espécies endêmicas dos Campos Naturais. A partir dos novos dados, são sugeridas as seguintes alterações na situação de ameaça das espécies: descaracterização dos graus de ameaça de P. p. practa, C. bertha e S. arion. Z. z. diabo deve ser inserida como criticamente em perigo (CR), assim como E. corethrus deveria elevar sua categoria em perigo (EN) para criticamente em perigo (CR). A. prema, P. g. glaucope e C. theano não tiveram as categorias e critérios alterados.