A comunidade de insetos galhadores da RPPN Fazenda Bulcão, Aimorés, Minas Gerais, Brasil

Abstract

The galling insect community in a disturbed area of Atlantic rain forest is described for the first time in the context of environmental restoration in the RPPN Fazenda Bulcão, Minas Gerais, Brazil. We provide information on the external morphology of the galls, their occurrence on host plant organs, host plant species, and habitat types were they were collected. We sampled galls in three different habitats: abandoned pasture, secondary succession vegetation, and secondary succession vegetation dominated by Miracruodon urundeuva (Anacardiaceae), totaling 22 sites. Within these sites we encountered 29 gall morphotypes associated to 24 host-plant species. The majority of the galls (93%) were induced by Cecidomyiidae (Diptera). Abandoned pastures contained the greatest gall-species richness (19 morphotypes), followed by secondary succession vegetation dominated by M. urundeuva (16 morphotypes) and secondary succession vegetation (10 morphotypes). The diversity of galling insects encountered at Fazenda Bulcão was considered very low in comparison to that of the entire mid Rio Doce region.