Diversidade de Diptera (Insecta) em três espécies de Asteraceae na região de Dourados-MS, Brasil

Abstract

Bidens pilosa, Bidens subalternans and Porophyllum ruderale are invasive plants that negatively impact agriculture in Brazil. The flies of families Tephritidae and Agromyzidae are the phytophagous insects that feed on flowers of these Asteraceae and have potential for population suppression of such undesirable plants to some agro ecosystems. The aim of this work was to quantify species richness, infestation index, and abundance of flies feeding on the flower heads of those daises, as well to report new records for Brazil. Were carried out six samples of P. ruderale, four of B. pilosa and two of B. subalternans in the region of Dourados-MS. The samples of flower heads were brought to the Laboratório de Insetos Frugívoros, Faculdade de Ciências Biológicas e Ambientais, Universidade Federal da Grande Dourados, Dourados-MS. The material was then weighed, quantified and put inside plastic cups. When the flies emerged, were separated, fixed in 85% ethanol solution and identified. B. subalternans presented the highest infestation by florivorous flies. The species richness of flies was similar for the three sampled species of Asteraceae. Dioxyna chilensis was the most abundant species of florivorous fly in both: B. pilosa and P. ruderale, but in Bidens subalternans, the Agromyzid Melanagromyza sp.1 was more abundant. Trupanea jonesi occurred in B. pilosa, being this, the first record of T. jonesi, in that host, for the state of Mato Grosso do Sul.