Altitudinal and seasonal distribution of butterflies (Lepidoptera, Papilionoidea) in Cerro Bufa El Diente, Tamaulipas, Mexico.

Butterflies are one of the most recognized and useful groups for the monitoring and establishment of important conservation areas and management policies. In the present study, we estimate the richness and diversity, as well as the association value of submontane scrub, oak forest, and cloud forest species at Cerro Bufa El Diente, within the Sierra de San Carlos priority land region, located in the Central-western region of Tamaulipas, Mexico. Three sampling sites were established based on criteria of vegetation distribution per altitudinal floor. One site for each altitudinal floor and vegetation type. Sampling was carried out in permanent transects on a monthly basis at each site, using an aerial entomological net and ten Van Someren-Rydon traps, during four sampling periods: early dry season, late dry season, early wet season and late wet season. In total, 7,611 specimens belonging to six families, 20 subfamilies, 32 tribes, 148 genera and 243 species of the study area were collected. Nymphalidae was the most abundant family with 3,454 specimens, representing 45.38% of total abundance in the study area. Lower abundance was recorded in Hesperiidae (19.17%), Pieridae (16.41%), Lycaenidae (10.17%), Papilionidae (5.12%), and finally Riodinidae (3.74%). The highest species richness was presented in the family Hesperiidae with 34.57% of the total obtained species followed by Nymphalidae (30.45%), Lycaenidae (15.23%), Pieridae (9.88%), Papilionidae (5.76%), and Riodinidae (4.12%). Twenty-seven species were categorized as abundant, these species, Anaea aidea (Guérin-Méneville, 1844), Libytheana carinenta larvata (Strecker, 1878), Pyrgus oileus (Linnaeus, 1767), Mestra amymone (Ménétriés, 1857) and Phoebis agarithe agarithe (Boisduval, 1836) presented the highest number of specimens. Sixty-five species were considered common, constituting 41.73% of the total number of butterflies, 63 frequent (9.76% of the total abundance), 55 limited (2.54%) and 33 rare (0.43%). The greatest number of specimens and species, as well as alpha diversity, were presented on the lowest altitudinal floor, made up of submontane scrub, and decreased significantly with increasing altitude. According to the cluster analysis, low and intermediate altitude sites constitute an area of distribution of species that prefer tropical conditions, while the third-floor site forms an independent group of high mountain species. The greatest abundance and richness of species, as well as alpha diversity, was obtained during the last wet season, decreasing significantly towards the early dry season. Moreover, through the use of the association value, 19 species were designated as indicators, three for the last altitudinal floor, three for the intermediate and 13 for the first. The present work represents the first report of the altitudinal variation in richness, abundance and diversity of butterflies in the northeast of Mexico. These results highlight the importance of the conservation of this heterogeneous habitat and establish reference data for the diurnal Lepidoptera fauna of the region.

Diversidad del orden Lepidoptera (Hesperioidea y Papilionoidea) de la ciudad Corrientes, Argentina

Diversity of the order Lepidoptera (Hesperioidea and Papilionoidea) from Corrientes city, Argentina. Urbanization is one of the most important threats for biodiversity. Among many different organisms, butterflies are useful indicators of environment diversity and quality. The aim of this study was to investigate the Lepidoptera from Corrientes city. Random samplings were performed at two sites: a native forest situated in Santa Catalina district and an urban area, Parque Mitre. The captures were carried out using entomological nets, at four seasons between January to October 2007. A total of 1 114 butterflies, represented by six families: Hesperiidae, Lycaenidae, Nymphalidae, Papilionidae, Pieridae and Riodinidae and 18 subfamilies were recorded. Fifty-nine genera and 75 species were identified; Anartia jatrophae jatrophae was the most abundant species at both localities. This species and Urbanus procne, Phoebis sennae marcellina, Pyrgus orcus and Dryas iulia alcionea were, among other seven, captured at all months. Highest values of abundance were registered during the warmest seasons. Santa Catalina presented the largest abundance (n=701), richness (S=74) and diversity (H’=3.87). A total of 413 individuals and 52 species were identified at Parque Mitre, and Shannon diversity index was 3.58. The obtained data reveals a high species richness and similarity at both sites. Rev. Biol. Trop. 59 (1): 299-308. Epub 2011 March 01.

El proceso de urbanización representa una de las amenazas más importantes a la biodiversidad. Los lepidópteros son uno de los grupos taxonómicos utilizados como indicadores de la diversidad y calidad del ambiente. El objetivo del presente trabajo es conocer los Lepidoptera (Papilionoidea y Hesperioidea) de la ciudad de Corrientes. Se llevaron a cabo muestreos al azar en un parche de bosque nativo situado en el barrio Santa Catalina y en un área antropizada, el Parque Mitre. Las recolectas se realizaron en las cuatro estaciones climáticas entre enero y octubre de 2007 con redes entomológicas. El total de ejemplares capturados asciende a 1 114, los que se distribuyen en seis familias: Hesperiidae, Lycaenidae, Nymphalidae, Papilionidae, Pieridae y Riodinidae y 18 subfamilias. Se identificaron 59 géneros y 75 especies. Anartia jatrophae jatrophae fue la especie más abundante en ambas unidades. Esta especie junto a Urbanus procne, Phoebis sennae marcellina, Pyrgus orcus y Dryas iulia alcionea se capturaron en todas las estaciones. El mayor número de ejemplares se colectó en las estaciones más cálidas. La abundancia (n=701), riqueza (S=74) y diversidad (H’=3.87) fueron superiores en Santa Catalina. Las unidades exploradas exhiben una elevada riqueza de especies y alta similitud.

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.